


Multiplicity

by beadedslipper



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-05
Updated: 2014-10-05
Packaged: 2018-02-19 17:30:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2396798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beadedslipper/pseuds/beadedslipper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Having lived alone for so long, Carter sometimes finds it difficult to distinguish between the past and the present now that he’s been drawn back into the world.  He especially finds this difficult when it comes to Clarke.  </p>
<p>A companion piece to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/2272206/chapters/4992246">His Arms, Her Crown</a></p>
<p>countrygirl99 on AO3 prompted something with Clarke and Carter.  This turned out a little angstier than I think she wanted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Multiplicity

**Author's Note:**

  * For [countrygirl90](https://archiveofourown.org/users/countrygirl90/gifts).



> Carter is older. I’m not sure how old Lincoln is supposed to be, but if we assume that everyone on the Drop Ship was 18 and under (except for Bellamy), and it’s been a year, Clarke is 19 now. Carter is early-mid thirties. So, he’s had some experiences.

“Come on!”

Carter chuckled, stumbling along after the pull on his hand.  “What’s the hurry?”

She shot a glance over her shoulder, her blonde hair flying in a halo around her head.  Her plump lips were pursed and pouting.  “Carterrrr.” She whined.  “Stop being difficult.”

He chuckled again, deliberately slowing down until she had to lean all her weight on his arm to get him to move.  He planted his feet, smirking as she pulled and tugged and twisted, trying to get him to move.  She finally threw his arm down in a huff.

“What’s the matter Miri?” He teased.

“Fine!” Her smile turned mischievous.  His eyes narrowed in suspicion.  “If you won’t come willingly…you’ll just have to catch me!”

With a giggle she turned and darted off into the tall, golden grasses.  He shot out a hand to try and grab her, his fingers catching on empty air.  His smile was white in the sunlight as he quickly gave chase, but her height and her golden hair let her almost immediately lose herself in the field.  In minutes he had completely lost her.  He stood, head and shoulders above the top of the grass, and turned in a slow circle.

“Miri?!”

He heard a rustle and whirled to his left.

“I’m gonna get you Miri!”

A disembodied giggle had him spinning back to the right.  Still nothing.  He threw up his hands in surrender.  “Fine Miri!  I give!  I’ll go see your special surprise.”

Only silence greeted his declaration.  Suddenly a body pounced on his back.  Lips brushed his cheek and Miri whispered in his ear.

“Gotcha.”

Carter froze as the weight left his back to be replaced with a sharp point.  He dropped his axes to the dirt and put his arms in the air.  He turned very slowly to see Clarke leveling a sword at his chest.  She was smiling in satisfaction.  He blinked in surprise.

“What?”

Her smile dimmed.  “I said I got you.  Are you okay?”

He schooled his features, banishing the image of another blonde head to the back of his mind.  “Yes.  Fine.  Well done.  You learn fast.”

She beamed.  “I’ve got a good teacher.”

Carter’s lips twitched in an approximation of a smile.  It was novel to be appreciated again.  It had been a long time.

Bellamy wandered into the clearing where they were practicing, trailed by Miller, Octavia, and Lincoln.  Ever since Carter started visiting to teach Clarke, among others, how to defend herself, Bellamy made it a point to patrol this part of the forest at the same time. 

The curly-haired king walked right up to Clarke and planted a lingering kiss on her lips.  When they pulled apart Bellamy kept his arm around her shoulders and Clarke smiled beautifically up at her counterpart.  The love between them was palpable. 

Carter watched all of this impassively, aware of the eyes on him.  Lincoln watched him watch them and Carter knew the other grounder wouldn’t hesitate to put down any insurrection on his part.

Not that Clarke would ever even consider…  Her loyalty and her love were absolute.

Carter respected that.

————————————————————————————————————————————————-

“Damn it Carter.  Can’t you be more careful?”

Carter reclined against a sack of grain, gazing up at Miri as she stitched a cut on his arm.  Her brow was furrowed, her tongue between her teeth as she put neat little stitches in his skin.

“Sorry.” He grunted.  He gritted his teeth against the discomfort when she stabbed the needle a little harder than necessary.

“Sorry?  Is that all you have to say for yourself?” Her voice was thick with tension.

“It was an accident.  Relax.  Hell, Miri!” He hissed when the needle pierced his skin.

“Relax?” She huffed thickly.  He looked up to see her hazel eyes brimming with tears, her golden hair like a halo.  “How can I relax?  Every time you leave, every time you go out, I’m just so afraid…”

“Hey…” He reached up, cupping her face in his large hand.  He pulled her down to kiss her tears away.  He kissed each of her eyelids before touching her trembling lips with his own.  They kissed tenderly for long moments.  He finally collapsed back against the grain bag.  “I will always come back to you.  I promise.”

Her eyes fluttered open and she sighed.  “Please, just be more careful.” She took his hand, moving it until it rested on her abdomen.  “For us.”

His eyes widened.  Her stomach was still flat where his broad hand rested, but he understood.  “Us…” He breathed in wonder.

Miri laughed aloud, clear and joyous as a bell.  Her smile was tremulous. 

“Carter…”

“Carter.”

He blinked blearily, his unfocused gaze treated to a blonde head haloed in sunlight.  He must have fallen asleep.  He hummed, blinking and opening his mouth to greet her.

The image solidified and Clarke smiled down at him.  “You fell asleep.”

It was no surprise.  He had come to visit and ended up helping to raise a new building.  It was back-breaking work.

He grunted, fisting his hand to keep himself from reaching for her face.  He shifted into a more upright position, fighting down the flash of disappointment when she leaned back to give him room.  She pushed herself to her feet and extended a hand.

He clasped it and let her heave him to his feet.

Her hand was all that he could ever clasp.

——————————————————————————————————————————————-

He ran through the forest.  He  _flew_  through the forest.  His feet barely touched the ground.

He had been hunting.  They were well-provisioned for the winter, but he was doing his utmost to keep Miri fed with fresh food in her delicate condition.

The attack came out of nowhere.  They drew him off, coming in close to poke and prod at him before ghosting away.  He had them on the run when suddenly they disappeared.

There could only be one reason.

He was still far away, too far away, when the shriek broke through the trees.

“CARTER!”

He froze, a chill rooting his feet to the ground.

“CARTER!”

“MIRI!”

He moved with every ounce of speed in his body, knowing it wouldn’t be fast enough.  He got to his cave just as they were leaving.  He mowed them down with single minded intensity, his axes opening veins that spurted in great sprays of blood.

He sliced his way into the cavern.  There was red…everywhere.  The walls and floor were splattered in abstract stripes of the thick stuff.

And in the center…

“Miri.” He moaned.  He stumbled forward, falling to his knees at her side and reaching out trembling hands.  Her eyes were dead and sightless, lacking that bright light he had fallen in love with.  A spear protruded from her stomach, just starting to bow with the weight of their child.

Silent tears fell down his cheeks.  Her face was smeared in red and he could still hear her voice calling for him.

He didn’t think he would ever stop hearing her cry.

“CARTER!”

He whirled, breath catching in his chest at the sound of her voice.

She raised her hand to wave and even from this distance he could see the smile on her face.

“Hey Carter!”

Clarke trotted towards him where he stood at the entrance to Dropsite, Bellamy not far behind her.  He had been away for almost a month.  The sight of her smile made him feel alive again just as her blonde hair made his chest ache.

He would do everything he could to make sure that smile never faded.

The past and present could blur all they wished, but he would do everything he could to make sure that smile didn’t end up stained with blood.

**Author's Note:**

> It took me a long time to post this cuz I couldn't figure out how to put a link in the summary. ;P Silly me.


End file.
